As the lead hovered at the two minute mark, Le Mevel spent an hour as maglia rosa before the bunch chased in earnest and gradually closed the deficit.

Moreno clipped away from the breakaway with twenty-five kilometres to go, joined later by Movistar rider Ignatas Konovalovas (Movistar).

However, the pack chased fiercely and pulled the pair back in the final three hundred metres, which had gradients of eight per cent.

Former cyclo-cross rider Gadret shot out of the pack, past Moreno and held off the chasing Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) and Italian champion Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini) for the best win of his career.

Meanwhile, Alberto Contador finished fifth to maintain his race lead. After his escape activities, Le Mevel dropped 13 seconds at the stage finish and slipped from third to fourth overall. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) moves up to third.

Before the stage start in Tortoreto Lido, all riders, team staff and spectators observed a minute’s silence in memory of Wouter Weylandt, whose funeral took place in Ghent, Belgium, today. Weylandt tragically lost his life on stage three of the race last Monday. Gadret dedicated his win to Weylandt.

Tomorrow’s 12th stage from Castelfidardo to Ravenna represents Mark Cavendish’s last chance to take his second win of this year’s race.